Pa. Woman Allegedly Kills Baby Daughter and Stabs Child’s Father
Williamsport Bureau of Police Corrie Shanikah Cowlay-Saunders
A 22-year-old woman is facing criminal homicide and attempted murder charges in Pennsylvania, where authorities allege she killed her 5-month-old daughter after trying to kill the child's father.
A statement from police in Williamsport claims that when Corrie Shanikah Cowlay-Saunders was arrested on Thursday night, she spontaneously confessed to the murder, allegedly proclaiming, "I killed my daughter."
According to investigators, they received a call at around 9:30 p.m. from a stabbing victim who feared he was about to lose consciousness. They arrived to find the father of Cowlay-Saunders' daughter, Cordell Faltz, "suffering from stab wounds to the neck and jaw."
Police discovered Cowlay-Saunders had allegedly fled the scene after taking Faltz's keys and driving off in his car.
Faltz allegedly identified his assailant, telling detectives that he and Cowlay-Saunders had a child together, but were no longer in a relationship.
According to the statement, Cowlay-Saunders ended up crashing Faltz's vehicle, and police arrived at the accident scene, finding the young mother injured. Before she was rushed to the hospital, Cowlay-Saunders allegedly "made a statement about her baby being dead."
She allegedly later repeated that her child was dead at the hospital, telling medical personnel she had killed the child, identified as Cailania Faltz.
According to the Patriot-News of Harrisburg, which obtained a copy of the affidavit in this case, Cailania's cause of death has yet to be determined. However, police did note the child, who was found dead inside Faltz's home, had bruising around the right side of her neck and throat.
The baby's father told police he had locked up his home. Investigators believe Cowlay-Saunders broke into the house.
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While receiving medical care, Cowlay-Saunders allegedly uttered, "I said to myself, he is the one who deserves to die, so I went to his house to kill him."
Cowlay-Saunders is being held without bail on criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime, burglary, criminal trespass, and unauthorized use of vehicle charges.
She has yet to enter pleas to any of them, and information on her lawyer was unavailable Monday.
A motive for the killings, if known, has not been disclosed.
